Ball-bearing.



PATENTED APR. 2, 1 907.

A. T. SISSON.

BEARING. A

APPLIOA FILED FEB. 10

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ALBERT T5 sissoxor PROVIDENCE, RHODE-ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 W. PENN MATH R, or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BALL-BEARING.

To all whom it may concern;

Be. it known that'I, ALBERT T. Srsson, of Providence, 1n the county of Providence and new and useful Improvements in Ball-Bearings, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to ball-bearings for either thrust or journal bearin s, and has for its object to provide a novel ho der or cage which the Balls of such bearmgs may be retained when the partsare being assembled or taken apart, which will prevent loss of the balls and at the same time prevent the halls becoming jammed or stuck and prevent possibility of foreign matter becoming crowded into the spaces occupied by the balls.

The invention is hereinafter described and claimed, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein. I

Figure 1 represents aside elevation of a holder embodying my invention adapted for a thrust-bearing. Fig.2 represents an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 represents a detail sectional view, enlarged, of one of the steps in the process in forming the bearing and the tool employed therefor. Fig. 4 represents a step of securing the balls in the holder and the tool employed for that purpose. Fig. 5 represents an elevation of my improved ball-holder adapted for a journalhearing. Fig. 6 represents a cross-sectional view of the same on line 6 6 of Fi 5. I

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a cage or holder in the form of a flat disk a, adapted to be interposed between the flat bearing plates or disks of an end-thrust bearing, the disk having a central orifice b for the passage of a shaft. In the disk are formed a number of apertures 0, extending between the opposite faces of the disk and completely perforating the same. I11 these apertures or perforations are placed antifriction-balls d, which are held' so that they cannot escape from the perforations and protrude somewhat beyond the face of the disk, so as to take up the pressure of. thebearing.

In order to secure the balls within the perforations of the disk, I form on the latter annular lips or flanges e, entirely surroundin the ends of the perforations and separated from the body of the disk b annular grooves f. These lips are 'integra ly joined to the Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed February 10,1906, sum No. 300,416,

Patented April 2, 1907."

! body of the disk along circular lines somewhat within the mouths of the perforations. v The method of forming the hps 'e is illus- State of Rhode Island, have invented certain 1 trated in Fig. .3. After the perforations c are made by drilling or-otherwise an annular milling or grooving tool gis employed. This fits withinthe aperture c and has cuttingteeth 2' arranged in an annular series around the central portion It, being separated-therefrom by a space The cutting-teeth act against the surface of the disk around the h in the hole to make a groove f, whichcompletely encircles the ball-receiving hole and separates the material immediately around the rim of the hole from the rest of the disk. This material forms the lip 'e. same process is employed on both the opposite sides of the disk, and a ball d is-then placed in the hole. A setting-tool k is then employed. This tool is of a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the toothed portion of-the cutting-tool, and it has an annular edge adapted to enter the groovesf. Within the annular edge the tool is beveled to form a tapered surface Z, which .presses against the lip 6 with equal force on the axis of the hole.

The material of which the disk a is made tool has a'guiding central portion 71, which rim of the hole and are guided by the portion Preferably the all sides and crowds the same inward toward is preferably of metal which is sufficiently ductile to be easily acted upon by the settingtool, so that a uniform inclined flange 1s extending from a zone man'd inclined toward flanges e, adjacent opposite ends of each perforation c, inclose between .them a diametrical portion of a ball, so that the latter cannot possibly drop from the mouth of the opemng. They are also bent over so close to formed within each mouth of the aperture the face of the disk and axis of the hole. The

the surface of the ball as almost to touch the I contact, and so do not interfere with t e free rotation of the ball when the latter is engaged at diametrically opposite points by the surfaces of the bearing.

In Figs. 5 and 6 the same invention is applied to a journal-bearing. In thesefigures (1 represents a sleeve adapted to surround a shaft and having perforations 0 containing balls cl; which aresurrounded by similar con- .ical flanges e. On account ofthe difiiculty of same, although they are not actually uite in I forming such flanges on the inner surface of the sleeve I prefer to form the perforationsby using a drill which is tapered on the end and by arresting the drilling operation before the largest part of the drill has uite penetrated through the inner wall. T e point of the drill, however, passing through the inner wall ofthe sleeve produces apertures of less diameter than the ball and leaves flanges e, which retain the ball in place. The flanges e bein bent over after the balls have i been pliiced in the holes prevent the latter '1 to 4; but with this form, as ity is equa bent over the balls; also that holders have been constructed byswa ing or upsetting the solid material of the Iiolder around the mouths of the ball-receiving perforations, so

as partially to close the same and prevent egress of the ball; but to the best of my knowledge it is novel with me to provide a holder of the kind above described and constructed in accordance with the method described in which a flange is detached from the surrounding material and bent over the ball. This construction is of advantage over those previously used, in that it is impossible for the ball to become displaced and jammed,

as may be done where detached separated lugs are used to retainit, and the flange can be crowded so close to the ball, though without actually touching it, as to prevent lumps of foreign matter which would wed e and {am the ball, causing it to stick, bemg alowed to enter the ball-holding openingsj It is also possible to set over the flanges of my invention without applying any pressure to the material surrounding the central portion of the perforaton, so that there is no liability of the perforation becoming reduced in diameter while the ball is being secured inplace, so as to bear against the same, and, finally, the flanges being thin enable the perforations c to be placed closely together, so that a large number of balls may be employed in one holder, and being thin the are so ductile that-they'can be forced bae without'injury to enlarge the orifice of the perforation when a newball is to be introduced to take the lace of a broken one. Thus replacement'of alls is permitted and repair of the bearing rendered possible without providing an entirely new ball-holder and set ofballs.

I claim 1. In a ball-bearing, a ball ca e or holder having perforations, balls locate in said perforations, and the holder having thinvflanges formed of the material thereof and partially detached therefrom, entirely surrounding the perforations and bent over so as. to contract the ends thereof and retain the balls therein.

2. In a ballbearing, a ball cage or holder having perforations, balls located in said per forations, and the holder having flanges separated from the body of the case by encircling annular spaces, extending entirely around the perforations, and inclined inward to reduce the end openings thereof and retain the balls therein.

3. In a ball-bearing, a ball cage or holder having perforations, balls located in said per forations, and the material of the holder around the mouth of each perforation being formed into a partially-detached fiange'or lip by asurrounding annular groove and bent inward over the ball in the perforation. I

4. In a ball-bearing, a ball ca e or holder having perforations, balls located in said perforations, and the cage being formed with an integral flange extending from a line or zone Within the mouth of each perforation con' vergently toward the axis thereof and partial y over the ball contained therein.

5. A baIl-holder for bearings having perforations extending between opposite faces thereof, balls located in the perforations and the material immediately around the rims thereof being separated from the body of the holder and bent inwardly over the balls.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT T. SISSON. 

